PA Responds to IDF Shooting: Israel Should be Prosecuted

The PA condemned the killing of a teen shot Tuesday as he was trying to break through the separation fence near Ramallah.

By Annie Lubin

First Publish: 1/16/2013, 12:22 PM

Fence along the border / illustrative

Flash 90

The Palestinian Authority has condemned the killing of Samir Awa, who was shot Tuesday as he was trying to break through the separation fence in the village of Boudrous, near Ramallah, and called on the international community to take legal action against Israel.

"It is not acceptable that the international community is satisfied with messages of condemnation while Israel creates a new realty in the area. Israel should be prosecuted and effective steps must be taken in order to compel it to comply with international law and stop the attacks on our people and their rights," the PA cabinet said in a statement.

Fatah also condemned the killing. "Crimes of the Israeli occupation and racist government will not pass without a response," said spokesman Ahmed Qawasmeh. "This is a war crime which joins the other war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people."

Samir Awad, 17, died after being hit by three bullets, a response by the IDF after several Arab teens and men "approached the security fence near Boudrous and damaged it in an attempt to infiltrate Israel," an army spokeswoman told AFP. Soldiers opened with warning shots fired in the air, she said, and only fired towards the infiltrators when they continued with their attempts to break the barrier.

Boudrous Mayor Mohammed Morar claimed that Awad and his friends were just hanging out near the border and were not trying to break through. "It was the last day of school and some students threw stones. The soldiers caught him and tried to arrest him, but he escaped so they fired six bullets at him," he told AFP.